In flat-bed knitting machines, access to the cam elements of the carriage apparatuses for servicing or repair work, if problems arise at some cam element, is difficult. In known flat-bed knitting machines of this type, it is necessary to perform various manipulations and cut the supplied yarns, and then to lift the carriage apparatus with an auxiliary technical apparatus, in order to see beneath it. In other known flat-bed knitting machines, again after various manipulations and cutting of the supplied yarns, the carriage apparatus can be pushed onto a table provided at one end of the needle bed apparatus so that the cam elements on the underside of the carriage apparatus can be looked at. In both cases, this results in considerable stoppage times and considerable labor, using several persons. This considerable effort is generally justified in only a very small number of cases of malfunction, whenever relatively major repair work is necessary. In most cases, however, such malfunctions can be taken care of with simple and quickly-performed manipulations.